Brian McDermott questioned Danny Guthrie’s attitude after the Reading midfielder declined to be involved in last night’s 3-0 defeat at Sunderland.

Guthrie, a summer signing from Newcastle United, was due to be part of the match-day squad, but McDermott revealed: “His head wasn’t right to travel.

“Everyone has to be going in the same direction and that’s really important for me as a group and we’ve had that over a period of time.”

Royals’ boss continued: “You have to put yourself up to be selected for each and every game, and that means every player.

“Danny Guthrie made a decision that his head wasn’t right to travel. He would have been travelling (with us). Any player has to be a part of what we’re about.

“We’re very much about the group and we can’t deviate from that. It’s not a question for tonight – it’s something we need to address in the week.

Guthrie’s absence meant Mikele Leigertwood and Jay Tabb were again the central midfield pairing at the Stadium of Light.

But they were powerless to prevent Reading crashing to their heaviest defeat of the season.

James McClean and Steven Fletcher gave Sunderland a 2-0 half-time lead and a stoppage-time goal from Stephane Sessegnon sealed Royals’ fate.

The result leaves McDermott’s men six points adrift of safety, having taken just nine from 16 games.

It was Reading’s fifth consecutive defeat and question marks will be raised over the future of the manager.

However, asked whether he feared for his job, McDermott replied: “I’ve been in football for 30-odd years now. I know this club is in a far healthier position than it was a year ago, and two and three years ago.

“I’m just disappointed with the results. I’ve been used to winning over that period and at the moment we’re not winning games,” he added.

“I know we’re in a results business and the boys have given me everything. I can’t ask too much more from them.”